title: [Chagas disease in a non endemic country: a study in the district of Bologna (Italy). Multidisciplinary analysis of the disease in the Latin American migrant population].
abstract: Chagas disease is a parasitic illness endemic in 21 countries of Central and South America, affecting over 10 million people. Due to the increase of migration flows to Europe, Chagas disease is an emerging public health issue in non endemic countries. In Italy, where no specific policy has yet been developed, the Centre for International Health of the University of Bologna is carrying out the project "Chagas disease in a non endemic country: a study in the district of Bologna". A multidisciplinary and multi-method approach was adopted to estimate the problem and its impact in our territory. A retrospective analysis was performed searching several databases in order to collect information concerning the demographic and epidemiological profile of Latin American migrants coming from endemic countries. At the same time, a preliminary ethnographic research was conducted to start unveiling the main socio-anthropological characteristics of this population, thanks to the involvement of key informants and community associations. According to preliminary findings, Chagas disease is a present and possibly increasing reality in our territory. Due to the particular features of the affected population, socio-cultural variables have to be considered for their impact on the visibility of the condition and on health seeking behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Centro Studi e Ricerche in Salute Internationale e Interculturale, Dipartimento di Medicina e Sanità Pubblica, Università di Bologna. chiara.digirolamo@unibo.it
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Girolamo
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Marta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciannameo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cacciatore
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Balestra
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bodini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Taroni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007843:Latin America / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult